algae-based biodiesel from solix is a clean fuel that can be grown anywhere, needs only sunlight and water, and could produce enough oil to free us from petroleum.
growth and productivity is 30 to 100 times higher than crops like soybeans, but more important, uses 99% less water than conventional agriculture. since the whole organism converts sunlight into oil, algae can produce more oil in an area the size of a two-car garage than an entire football field of soybeans.
update [17 apr 2008]:
• a list of fifteen algae-to-biofuel startups
• photo: solazyme [source].